[meenie]

The interesting part of this whole episode is not the pro or con of the documents being false or genuine. The interesting part is that they could be true. Running an election in Alabama is not wartime duty, which has been fully acknowledged by the Bush. Tap dancing around the issue does not change the overall aspect.

[Qwinn]

"The interesting part is that they could be true."

You've got to be kidding me. This is practically Rather's response.

"Running an election in Alabama is not wartime duty, which has been fully acknowledged by the Bush. Tap dancing around the issue does not change the overall aspect."

The "issue" has been rebutted a thousand different ways. The F-102 had pretty much been recalled, and Bush simply wasn't going to get sent over. I fully believe for a variety of reasons and sources that he -wanted- to be, that he very much wanted to be a fighter pilot and fight in Nam. That's why he put in a ferocious number of hours his first three years. But when he was told that he had no chance of getting into Palace Alert, that's when his enthusiasm waned, and since the NG didn't really have any use for him either (having a glut of F-102 pilots at that point), they made it easy for him to just finish out with the minimum requirements. I suspect that was typical for the glut of pilots they had, nothing preferential about it.

General Turnipseed, the guy who liberals love to use as one of their primary sources that "he wasn't there", is on the record as saying he was never -required- to show up to Alabama. That it was strictly voluntary for him to do so.

Same goes for the unsubstantiated allegations about how he got "preferential treatment" for getting in in the first place. There may have been 500 applicants for the TANG... but not for officer positions, which is what Bush was applying for... and not for fighter pilots, which required a voluntary commitment for -heavy duty- training on the part of the applicant. Most applicants didn't want to do it. Bush did. This put him on a very very short list, and when he was accepted there were three other slots for fighter pilot still open.

The whole thing is a farce and a fraud by liberals. Bush has nothing in his record to be ashamed of. Especially given the wartime record of so many of the very liberals that have the gall to launch this accusation. I wonder how many liberals "outraged" at Bush's NG service spent the war in Canada.

Qwinn

[visualops]

You've been suckered with a liberal mindset.
It's not interesting that they might be true. They aren't, and in that context it matters what they say, because they are a smear job. Additionally, nobody is "tap dancing" around anything. Bush wasn't "running an election" either.

[smoothsailing]

So are you saying that President Bush should have been as clever as Kerry?

You know, find some ignoble way to escape his obligation to be loyal to those he served with.

[Lee'sGhost]

Dan! I mean, Dude! The interesting thing about this is that a big three news net has either initiated or played willing dupe to a hoax meant to bring down our sitting president during the next election. In other words, a media organization manipulating the system to get THEIR guy elected. Not only is it illegal, it's evil and anti-American. The concept that Dubya left the ANG early to work on a campaign is about as noteworthy as me receiving a "You may have already won!" notice from Ed McMahon.

[No Surrender No Retreat]

Meenie, if Lt. Bush,(President Bush) asked for an exemption and it was granted, then the missed days can be made up later. I was in the ANG and that is how things operated. I was a police officer and certain days my schedule would conflict. I asked for later make-up days which were granted. Exemptions can be obtained even during war-time. President Bush has been honest and forth-right concerning his ANG time and military records. Kerry is hiding his, by refusing to sign the "180 form." The question is, who do you trust to safeguard our country against all enemies both foreign and domestic? It's a clear choice and please remember lies, deceptions and forged douments are the ways of the communist in America. This message was approved by the,"Brotherhood of American Patriots." For a Free America, vote Bush/Cheney 2004 (P.S.) President Bush, doesn't know how to tap dance, (only flip-flop kerry diddly-bop) can dance to that tune.)

[The_Reader_David]

Sorry, but that's NOT the interesting part of the story. Everyone knows and agrees that Bush was transfered to the Alabama Guard so he could work on a campaign. Anyone who cares to check also knows that as his enlistment in the TexasANG was in May his service requirements were on a May to May calendar, and that he exceed the required 50 credits in every year of his six years of service. (By a factor of 2 to 6 in the first four years, and by a mere 6 credits in each of his last two--nonethless even in the years he was 'slack' he exceeded the required number of credits.) He was released from the Guard shy of the six year, it is true, but only after fulfilling the required credits for the sixth year.

The ONLY interesting thing about the story is what is says about Dan Rather, CBS, the few media outlets that are still backing them, and the mealymouthed others that still put "alleged" in front of the word "forgeries" in their reports.